You know, I wasn't exactly sure how I was gonna preface this review. I could discuss how this is the first "Grand Theft Auto" game that I played fully, I could talk about how scared I am that people are already going to hound me for giving this anything lower than a 9, but I realized that I don't really need to introduce this too heavily. At this point, "Grand Theft Auto V" has not only been one of the most successful video games of all time, but it's also been one of the most profitable pieces of entertainment (film, TV, gaming, music, etc.) to exist in the world. With 95 million copies shipped (as of May 2018) and over $6 billion in revenue, chances are you've heard a fair deal about this game. It's also one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time, and it was the recipient of a heavy amount of awards, with some going as far as to call it one of the greatest games ever. So, it comes with a bit of disappointment that after playing through and beating the main campaign...I think the game is merely "good." Not "excellent," not "one of the greatest ever," just "good."
"Grand Theft Auto V" definitely has a lot going for it regarding its technical achievements. The large open world of Los Santos is absolutely stunning, and there are so many great small details throughout the world that make it so fascinating and grand to explore. The game also has a great idea going with its ability to control multiple protagonists, and it also helps that each protagonist is very compelling. The game features some excellent (if very controversial) writing and acting, and the characterization is top-notch. Once again, Michael, Franklin and (especially) Trevor really help bring the game to life. The controls are also strong, free-roaming around Los Santos and engaging in anarchy can be very fun, and the addition of Grand Theft Auto Online helps to make things even more exciting.
All of this said, though, I feel like several aspects of the gameplay are what hold me back from really loving this. I've heard a number of critics talk about how "varied" the missions were in the game, but I just have to wonder if I was playing the same game, because I honestly found the mission structure to be too frustratingly repetitive. And while it is satisfying when you beat all of the missions, and the heists can be pretty enjoyable, it almost feels to me like you're just doing the same things over and over. On top of that, there are just so many minor frustrations with the gameplay that really add up to dampen the experience for me, such as the poor controls of several vehicles, and the fact that the game allows you to skip missions after three fails. This kind of ruins the essentialness of completing them. If you can purposely fail them to continue on with the game, where's the actual gameplay motivation? I acknowledge that it's nice for accessibility reasons (and it did help a bit with some of the shootouts), but the concept itself does kind of bother me. At least a game offering an "invincibility mode" as an accessibility option forces you to still experience the game and figure it out; here, it feels like Rockstar is actually discouraging you from experiencing it. Honestly, given all of those frustrations, and with the fact that people were calling this a game that would bridge the seventh generation of gaming into the eighth, I would've been terrified playing this in 2013 and seeing it as a "bridge game." I certainly wouldn't want to live in a generation of games where you can literally speed through a game by purposely failing at it.
I know, I know, I'm being very critical of "Grand Theft Auto V," and I do enjoy it, honestly. It's a very well-made title, but given that it holds something of a hierarchy in gaming and is frequently classified as one of the all-time greats (and one of the most popular), I'm obviously going into it with my standards set at an extreme high, and it just doesn't quite reach them. Yes, it's certainly an enjoyable game, and I can see the appeal of it. Still, with the fact that everyone says it's one of the best games ever made, I can name a good chunk of titles that I would still say are better and more enjoyable, a few of which have even been released in the seven years since the original release of this game. That said, though, it's still a solidly enjoyable game, and I did have my share of fun with it, so I would definitely recommend giving it a shot. I just hope you get a little more out of it than I did.
Final rating: 7 out of 10 "Good"